Transgender man prepares to give birth

Oregon couple redefine the division of labour

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A Oregon man who was born a woman claims to be preparing to give birth in July.

Thomas Beatie, of Bend, Oregon, underwent sex change surgery to become a man 10 years ago, but chose to retain his female reproductive organs, just in case.

His wife of ten years, Nancy also from Bend, was unable to have children due to a hysterectomy - hence the Junior-esque pregnancy.

Thomas stopped taking testosterone injections and started having periods again, allowing him to become pregnant by artificial insemination.

Beatie is legally a man and the couple are legally married.

The news has come as a shock to neighbours, and part of Nancy's family, who were unaware Beatie was transgender.

"Doctors have discriminated against us, turning us away due to their religious beliefs. Health care professionals have refused to call me by a male pronoun or recognise Nancy as my wife," he said, in a first-person account of the couple's story on Advocate.com

However, the prejudice has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of the father to be, expected to give birth to a baby girl in July.

"How does it feel to be a pregnant man? Incredible. Despite the fact that my belly is growing with a new life inside me, I am stable and confident being the man that I am. I will be my daughter's father, and Nancy will be her mother. We will be a family." ®